


The Baker and the Frog Prince

by AshesStarsAndRedStringsOfFate



Series: Hetalia Faerie Tale AUs [2]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Idiots in Love, M/M, Why do I keep writing stuff where Ivan is evil?!, little bit of swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-25 21:49:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12044970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshesStarsAndRedStringsOfFate/pseuds/AshesStarsAndRedStringsOfFate
Summary: Arthur just wants to open up his own restaurant. He never expected to meet a prince turned frog, get turned into a frog himself, and then have to outsmart a witch just to save said annoying frog. Oh well. So goes his life. A Princess and the Frog AU. Done on request! FrUK, PruCan, GerIta, Ameripan, mentioned RoChu, pre-Spamano





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! So, this came on request from Spagna Conquistador over on Fanfiction.net, and they wanted a Princess and the Frog AU for FrUK. Well... here it is! Hope all of you enjoy it!
> 
> Please note: This mostly draws from the Disney version. However, it DOES take some elements from the Brother's Grimm. Also, there will be no songs, and the script was heavily changed to avoid copyright infringement. (Also because I didn't like certain parts of the original movie, but... Oh well.)
> 
> And, here's the cast list!
> 
> Princess (Tiana): England  
> Prince (Naveen): France  
> The Alligator (Louis): Prussia  
> The Firefly (Ray): Spain  
> Doctor Facilier: Russia  
> Charlotte: Italy  
> Mama Odie: China  
> Lawrence: Germany  
> Charlotte's Father: Old Rome  
> Tiana's Mother: Austria  
> Tiana's Father (mentioned): Switzerland  
> Charlotte's Dog: Romano  
> Mamo Odie's Snake (Juju): Canada
> 
> So, that's about it... On with the story!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I do not own Hetalia: Axis Powers in any way, shape, or form. Nor do I own any iteration of the Princess and the Frog story. All rights go to the original creators. On with the show!

"The frog looked up at the beautiful princess with pleading eyes and said, 'Oh princess, only your kiss can break this horrid curse.' The lovely princess was so moved by the prince's plea that she leaned down and kissed the frog. In a flash of sparkling light, the frog was transformed into a handsome prince. The prince and the princess married, and they all lived happily ever after. The end."

"Yay! Read it again, read it again!" Feli cried, bouncing up and down on the bed. Roederich laughed and ruffled Feli's hair.

"It's getting late, darling. Go to bed. We can read it again tomorrow," Roederich said, smiling down at Feli and Arthur. Feli pouted a little but complied with Roederich's request, flopping back down onto the bed and burrowing under the covers.

"Oh, wasn't that story so romantic, Arthur? I'd love to be that princess! One day, I'm going to find my own prince, and we'll live happily ever after! Won't that be wonderful?" Feli sighed. Arthur scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"What's romantic about kissing a frog, Feli? You're more likely to get sick than you are to find a prince. Plus, frogs are disgusting!" Arthur proclaimed. Feli pouted.

"So? If that frog is really a prince, then I'll kiss him and set him free!" Feli exclaimed, flailing his arms and accidentally hitting Arthur. Arthur sputtered and moved to the other side of the bed while Roederich just laughed at the two boys' antics.

"Frogs are gross! Even if that frog is a prince, I'm never going to kiss him! Ever!" Arthur cried. Roederich sighed and ruffled Arthur's hair as well.

"Arthur, some day, you are going to find someone you love, and I promise you, you will think differently. Now, go to sleep, honey. It's late," Roederich said. Arthur rolled his eyes but burrowed under the blankets anyway. Roederich leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Guten Nacht, liebling."

"Sweet dreams, Father," Arthur murmured back. Roederich gave a low chuckle before exiting the room, closing the door behind him.

"Hey, Feli?" Arthur asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Hm?" Feli murmured back sleepily.

"Do you really believe there's someone out there for everyone?" Arthur whispered.

"Of course, Arthur. Now, I'm sleepy. See you in the morning."

"Night, Feli. Sweet dreams." And with that, Arthur fell asleep, dreaming of frogs turning into handsome princes.

* * *

"Arthur! Do you have any macarons left?" Alfred cheerily called, bouncing into the restaurant where Arthur worked. Arthur rolled his eyes at the American's antics.

"Yes, Alfred, I have plenty of macarons left. I'm assuming Kiku has a craving for them," Arthur drawled. Alfred just laughed and pulled money out of his wallet.

"Don't you know it, Artie. Don't you know it. And I can't disappoint, now can I?"

Arthur rolled his eyes again. "You and your romance. I'm glad I've never gotten involved."

"Aw, Artie, one of these days, you're gonna find that special someone, and then you'll think differently," Alfred sighed. Arthur snorted in disbelief and handed Alfred his macarons.

"Go give someone else your lectures on love. I'm actually working."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, I know. You're always working, you're too busy to go out. Just relax once in a while, yeah?" Alfred shot back, although Arthur caught a little glimmer of worry in his eyes. Just as Arthur was going to comment on it, Feli burst into the shop, bouncing excitedly.

"Arthur! I need a favour!" Feli squealed. Alfred laughed and left Arthur alone with a hyperactive Italian.

"Yes? What is it, Feli?" Arthur asked, starting to scrub the counters. They didn't really  _need_ to be cleaned, but the familiar motion soothed Arthur.

"So, you know how my father is hosting this big masquerade party in a few nights?" Feli started. Arthur nodded, motioning for Feli to continue. "So, we need someone to make a bunch of desserts. Would you mind making croquembouche and beignets for the ball? We have a very important royal coming to visit, and Father wants to go all out in his honour. We're going to pay you a lot as well, as compensation for your work."

Arthur's breath caught in his chest. "How much are we talking?"

"Pastries? Enough for a hundred people. Money? Well... enough to open your own restaurant," Feli answered, smiling. Arthur's childhood best friend knew all about Arthur's dream of owning his own restaurant. This seemed too good to be true.

"Tell your father it's a deal. Um, so... do I have to come in costume as well?" Arthur stammered, blushing a little. He was too poor to afford a nice costume, and he really wanted to avoid humiliation.

"Oh, don't worry about it! I've got you one. You'll just change when you come," Feli grinned. Arthur smiled back. Even though this seemed too good to be true, this was one of the happiest moments of his life. He came out from behind the counter and grabbed Feli into a tight hug.

"Thank you," he whispered, trying to hold back tears.

"You're welcome, Arthur. Glad I could help." Feli hugged him back, and Arthur's grin widened. In this perfect, wonderful moment, nothing could ever bring him down. Nothing.

* * *

"Francis! This is the address," Ludwig called. Prince Francis inhaled through his nose and exhaled before spinning around to face the building that would change his fortunes.

"Well then! Let's enter, shall we?" he chirped, strolling to the doors. He could  _feel_ Ludwig rolling his eyes behind him, but the tall German followed him anyway.

"Hello?" Francis called out once they were inside. A cold draft answered, and Francis shivered. It was the middle of summer; there shouldn't be a cold draft.

"Hello, foolish prince. You came," a creepy voice drawled from the shadows. Francis and Ludwig both jumped and spun around, facing back to back as they tried to find the owner of the voice.

"Show yourself!" Ludwig demanded. The voice chuckled and began muttering in a foreign language. The room began to spin, and the last thing Francis registered before blacking out was Ludwig's shouts.

* * *

Francis groaned as he regained consciousness. He tried to push himself up before he fell back down. His arms felt... really weird. He cracked open his eyes and saw... frog legs. In the place of his arms. Panicking, Francis crawled over to a mirror. A frog gazed back at him, and Francis almost passed out from shock. He... was... a... frog. He. Was. A. Frog. A FROG?! How had this happened?!

He was about to start hyperventilating when the creepy voice from earlier spoke up. "Now, Mr. Beilschmidt, if you do what I say, your precious prince shall remain unharmed,  _da_?"

"B-but... you're asking me to commit murder!" Ludwig shot back. Francis' heart stopped. What was going on?

"One man you don't even know, or your prince. One of them  _will_ die, so I suggest you pick which one you want to live," the creepy voice drawled back, silky smooth.

Francis shook his head and started looking for escape routes. Once he was out of the picture, Ludwig could handle himself. Francis just needed to get out.

 _Ah ha!_ Francis spied an open window and quietly hopped over, wiggling through. He landed on the ground below with a dull  _thud_ , and he quickly hopped away from the building, not wanting to be kidnapped again.

"Now, where can I go to find help...?" Francis murmured. A colourful sign caught his eye, and he hopped over to take a look. A grin spread across his face.

"Ah, a ball. There is sure to be a princess there. They can help!"

With his mind made up, Francis quickly hopped in the direction of the ball, intent on finding a princess to lift this curse.

* * *

Arthur sighed from his position in the corner and carefully straightened his costume. Somehow, Feli had thought it was a good idea to make him dress as a prince, so now Arthur was trying to avoid everyone because of his ridiculous costume.

Old Rome, Feli's father, had given him the promised money earlier, as well as telling Arthur he could build his restaurant on the land of one of his old sugar mills. Arthur was absolutely delighted, and he resolved to get right on that... once he could get away from the ball.

He couldn't really leave now, though. Prince Francis had just entered, and it would be incredibly rude to sneak out during his speech. Say what you wanted to about Arthur's prickly personality; he was a gentleman first and foremost.

The speech was lasting a  _ridiculously_ long time, and when it was finally over, Arthur told Feli he was going to get some air before stepping out onto the balcony. He breathed in the crisp night air and let out a sigh. He wished his father Vash had been here to see his dreams come true.

" _Bonjour, mon cher_. How are you this fine evening?" a smooth French-accented voice came from next to Arthur. Arthur turned in the direction of the voice and saw... a frog. Smirking up at him. And talking.

"What the bloody hell?!" Arthur yelped, jumping back in alarm. The frog just grinned and hopped closer, ignoring Arthur's growing blush and stammering.

"Oh? What is a lovely prince like you doing out here alone?" the frog continued. Arthur blinked in shock. What had the frog just said?

"Anyway, as a fellow prince, I need your help. See, I've been cursed to be a frog, and the only way to lift it is to be kissed by a princess. Or, well, another prince works as well. So, could you please do me a favour and kiss me?" the frog asked, shooting puppy dog eyes at Arthur.

Arthur gritted his teeth and swallowed a growl. "No. Why would I kiss you?"

"Because it's the only way to break the curse! Please,  _mon cher_ , help me out?" the frog begged. Arthur sighed and debated his options.

Firstly, he could ignore the frog. He was probably going crazy, anyway. Secondly, he could chuck the frog over the ledge and never have to see him again. Or third... he could comply with the frog's ridiculous request and... kiss him.

The frog seemed to sense Arthur's weakness, and edged a bit closer, grinning.

" _Mon petite lapin_ , please. It will only take a moment or two, and then I will repay you handsomely for your troubles. Please."

"Fine! Stop begging, it's unbecoming," Arthur snapped. He gathered his courage and leaned down to the frog.

"Are you ready?" he asked. The frog nodded, and Arthur pressed his lips to the frog's mouth.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Francis go on an adventure, meet some odd people along the way, and begin to (maybe) fall in love (possibly)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter!! And I really do hope you enjoy this chapter as well!!

A pulse of magic rushed through Arthur's body, and he squeezed his eyes shut against the rush. When the pulse faded, Arthur pulled back, still keeping his eyes closed, almost scared to see what had happened.

A croak of disbelief came from across from him, and Arthur frowned. Had something gone wrong? That still sounded like a frog.

"Um,  _lapin_ ," the frog started. "I believe something may have gone wrong." Arthur's eyes snapped open at this statement, and he found himself face-to-face with the frog, who was most definitely  _not_ a prince.

"What do you bloody mean, something may have gone wrong?!" Arthur yelled, moving to punch the frog. However, his legs didn't cooperate with him, and he fell flat on his face. Groaning, he pushed himself up and shook his head to clear away the cobwebs. The stupid frog looked torn between laughing and helping him up. Arthur glared at him, hoping to discourage him from laughing.

The frog seemed to have some sense of self-preservation at least, and hopped over to help Arthur up. Surprisingly, the frog pulled Arthur up with ease, which... should not have been possible, considering the size difference.

" _Lapin_? Are you quite alright?" the frog asked in concern. Arthur tried to jump back, and only ended up tripping again.

"Damn it! Stupid legs, why aren't you working?!" Arthur yelled, pounding the ground in frustration. Unfortunately, his hand landed at an awkward angle, causing Arthur to yelp in pain. He glanced down to see how bad it was, and the breath caught in his throat, because instead of his hand there was a frog's leg, and  _oh dear God how did he become a frog what was happening how was he going to change this he needed to fix this now now now Now NOW!_

" _Mon cher_ , please calm down and breathe. Can you look at me? There you go, just keep breathing, you're doing wonderfully," the frog's voice broke through Arthur's whirling mess of thoughts. Arthur tried to follow the frog's instructions, even though he was still frantically wondering how to fix this.

"Are you calmer now?" the frog asked a few minutes later, after Arthur had managed to get his breathing under control. Arthur nodded, and the frog pulled him onto his back legs before smiling at him.

"Great! Now, I'm so sorry this happened to you. I  _promise_ , I will get this fixed, and I will pay you for your troubles. Next, I believe introductions are in order,  _oui_?" the frog stuck out one of his front legs (which Arthur realized must be one of his arms) and offered a cheery smile in Arthur's direction. "My name is Francis. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance. And you are?"

"Oh! Arthur Kirkland. And it's nice to meet you as well, Francis," Arthur stammered, shaking Francis' proffered hand. Francis laughed a little at Arthur's awkward introduction.

"A lovely name for a lovely young man. Now, do you have any idea where to start looking for a way to break this curse?"

A low growling interrupted Arthur before he could answer, and both men whipped around to find a large dark brown dog baring its fangs at them.

"Oh God, it's a demon! Run!" Francis yelped. Arthur managed to collect the scattered remnants of his logical mind and realized what he was looking at.

"Wait! I know this dog. He belongs to my friend Feli!" Arthur exclaimed, running through his brain for a way to reason with a dog when one cannot talk to them.

Luckily for Arthur, he didn't have to, for Feli's dog paused and cocked his head to the side. "Arthur? Why are you a frog?"

"Lovino? Hello! Thank you for not attacking us! And I don't quite know why I'm a frog," Arthur babbled. Lovino huffed and stalked over, gently cuffing Arthur on the back of his head.

"Idiot. You acted before thinking again, didn't you?" Lovino sighed at Arthur's lack of response. "Thought so. Well, I do know of a way you can fix this."

"Would you be so kind as to help us, then?" Francis asked. Lovino growled, and Arthur quickly placed himself between the two.  _Why am I even doing this? I barely know Francis_ , Arthur wondered. Lovino softened up a bit at that and sat down, fixing Francis with a nasty glare before turning to Arthur.

"Well, there's an old witch by the name of Mama Odie who lives in a swamp not too far from here. Supposedly, she can break any curse. If you can find her, that is," Lovino said, starting to groom himself. Arthur sighed in relief. There was a way to change him back!

"Thank you so very much for the information, Lovino. Could you please direct us towards the swamp?" Francis asked. Lovino gave Francis an unimpressed look before pointing out the window to the south.

"Thank you so much, Lovino," Arthur spoke up. Lovino seemed to roll his eyes as he stood up and walked away.

"Yeah, well, you've always been nice to Feli. Figured I should return the favour."

* * *

"Ugh! Why are swamps so... swampy?" Francis complained. Arthur sighed in frustration.

"You're a  _frog_ for God's sake. Shouldn't you be immune to this?"

"No! Remember, I am royalty! Shouldn't you be used to this? You live near here!" Francis retorted.

"That doesn't mean I come down here often!" Arthur yelled. Francis opened his mouth to make another comment, but both were cut off by an ominous splash.

"Geez, yell any louder, why don't you? I'm pretty sure the whole swamp hasn't heard you yet," a new voice cut in from behind them. Arthur and Francis whipped around in sync and found themselves facing a grinning alligator.

"AH!" Francis and Arthur yelled, and they turned and tried to run. The alligator dived after them, surfacing under them only a few seconds later. Arthur clutched the scales on its back as it moved.

"Relax,  _amigo_ , Gil's a gentle giant. He'd never hurt a fly," another voice chimed in. Looking in the direction the words had come from, Arthur found himself gazing at a firefly.

" _Hola_! I'm Antonio, although all of my friends call me Toni. And this is Gilbert. What brings you down to our neck of the woods?" the firefly continued, grinning.

"Aw, Toni, I would too hurt a fly! Just not you," the alligator, Gilbert, complained. Antonio grinned and stage-whispered "He likes to think that. It makes him feel better."

Before Gilbert could try and kill Antonio, Arthur answered Antonio's earlier question.

"Oh, we're here to find the witch who lives here and break this stupid curse. Do you have an idea of where she is?"

Antonio and Gilbert snorted. Francis looked confused. "What did we say that was so funny?"

"Just... Yao's not a girl," Gilbert snickered. Arthur and Francis blinked in confusion.

"Yao's the witch. And he's very much not a girl," Antonio explained.

"Ah. Sorry. Just... the word 'witch' typically means a girl, you know?" Arthur apologized.

"Ah, don't worry. Yao's used to it. Now, come on! You're not that far from his place!" Gilbert exclaimed, starting to swim towards their destination. Antonio laughed.

"No, you just want to see Mattie again," Antonio teased. Gilbert whipped his head around and tried to snap at Antonio before realizing that Antonio was  _on_ his head.

"That's not!... The only reason..." Gilbert pouted. Antonio just laughed, and even Francis snickered a little.

Luckily for Arthur, the rest of the journey was conducted in silence, which was only broken when Antonio and Gilbert announced "We're here!" as they swam up to a hut on a little island.

Before they could even climb up on the embankment, a large golden-brown snake slithered out, examining the little group with mesmerizing blue-violet eyes.

"Mattie! These two need to talk to Yao!" Gilbert exclaimed, walking over to the snake. Mattie coiled up and seemed to smile.

"Of course. He sent me to make sure you got here safely. Follow me please." With that, Mattie slithered into the house, Gilbert following closely behind.

"So, Mattie... After this, do you wanna go and... find dinner together or something?" Gilbert asked. Mattie stopped and curled around to face Gilbert.

"I'd love that. Let's deal with the prince and the baker first, shall we?" Mattie replied, grinning. Gilbert's grin threatened to split his face in two, and Antonio had to whack his head to make him follow Mattie.

Mattie lead them into a room filled with books, herbs, and bubbling cauldrons. "Yao!" he called, slithering forward. A small, thin man appeared from behind a teetering stack of books, looking flustered.

"Ah! Matthew! You're back! And they're here! Come, let's talk about this by the fire. I already know how to fix this," the man, obviously Yao, babbled, ushering Gilbert over to the fire. Yao sat down in a chair, and Francis and Arthur hopped up into one across from him while Mattie curled around Yao's shoulders.

"Now, Francis... I'm so sorry that Ivan decided to curse you. I thought that he and I had come to an agreement, but... alas, we apparently have not," Yao sighed. "And Arthur, my apologies for you being dragged into this mess."

"It's fine," Arthur reassured Yao. Yao nodded before continuing. "Anyway, Francis, is there anyone who truly loves you?"

"Um... why?" Francis asked, looking uncomfortable.

"Because this curse can only by broken by true love's kiss. Either platonic or romantic works," Yao explained.

"Well... my adviser Ludwig. But I have no idea where he is. Last I saw, he was being threatened by... a large, creepy man." Francis shrugged.

Yao groaned. "That would be Ivan. Any idea what he wanted your friend to do?"

"He was asking Ludwig to commit murder, but I don't know who," Francis replied. Yao sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Well... I could track him down, if you'd like," Mattie offered. Gilbert grinned, showing off his sharp fangs. "Same. Plus, I'm much better at fighting, and Mattie needs someone to protect him."

Matthew appeared to arch an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I-I meant..." Gilbert stammered. Antonio laughed.

"Why don't we all just go? It'll be an adventure!" he exclaimed. Yao worried his lip between his teeth before agreeing.

"Alright. Matthew, please come back safe."

"Of course I will. Who do you think I am?" Matthew shot back, smirking.

"Welp! Everyone hop on, and let's go save Francis' friend from an evil voodoo doctor!" Gilbert exclaimed. Arthur rolled his eyes but followed them anyway. Since when had this become his life?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, that's all for this chapter! Concrit is LOVED, flames are fed to my pet dragon XD


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Bad Touch Trio, Arthur, and Matthew rescue some people, become human again, and finally kiss!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Third chapter!! Let's get right into it, shall we??

"So, here we are... Any idea on how to find Francis' friend?" Antonio spoke as they stopped in front of... Feli's house?

"Why are we here?" Arthur and Francis asked in unison. Gilbert shot them an amused look, while Matthew shot them an exasperated one.

"Why don't you tell me? I just followed Ivan's scent," he grouched.

"Well, there's a welcome party for me here tonight... But... Why would he be here?" Francis asked. Arthur frowned. Feli had been talking for weeks about possibly getting married to a prince that would be visiting. And about how Old Rome would be getting a large sum of money as a result...

"Oh no. I think I know," Arthur whispered. Everyone's heads whipped around to look at him.

"Feli's been talking for weeks about getting married to a prince who's visiting around now. Old Rome, Feli's father, is going to get a lot of money from the prince because of this. You don't think..."

" _Scheiße_! Ivan's gonna let the wedding happen, and then he's going to kill this Old Rome and collect the money!" Gilbert yelled, scrambling towards the door.

"But... I'm not there, so how will this wedding go through?" Francis asked.

"Um... that's how. And... I think I found your friend, Francis," Antonio called from his spot at the window. Francis hopped up next to him, and his eyes widened in shock.

"Is there a spell that changes appearance?" Francis asked Matthew.

"Of course. There's a spell for everything," Matthew replied, helping Arthur hop up on the ledge.

"Um... Francis... who's the blonde flirting with Feli?" Arthur asked.

"That's what I look like as a human," Francis answered. Arthur blinked in shock.

"Wow. You're... attractive..." Arthur mumbled. Francis shot him a smug grin.

"Ohohohohohon! You find me attractive~!" Francis said in a sing-song voice. Arthur blushed furiously and refused to look at him.

"Get a room, you two," Gilbert said, causing Arthur to blush even more.

"So... I don't actually think it's a spell. It's a charm on a pendant. See?" Matthew said from right behind Arthur.

"Damn it! Does no one make noise when they move?!" Arthur yelped. The other four snickered.

"So... how do we get in there, save Ludwig and this Old Rome, and stop Ivan?" Gilbert finally asked after some awkward silence.

"Well... I'm pretty small. I can get close and grab that pendant," Antonio said, twitching an antenna.

"You're going to want a distraction, because... oh yeah, there's Ivan," Matthew announced, gesturing towards a tall man in a trench coat.

"Um... I can distract him?" Francis offered. Arthur whipped around to stare at him.

"Are you mental?!" he yelled. "You're going to face off against a super powerful voodoo witch doctor alone?! Nope. I'm coming with you."

"Awwww..." Gilbert and Antonio cooed, while Matthew snickered. Arthur blushed.

"Well... let's go!" Matthew chirped and slithered towards the door. Arthur sighed and followed the snake.

"Let's do this."

* * *

"What the hell are you doing here, and why the hell is there a firefly with you?" Lovi asked, walking up to Arthur.

"Why hello, handsome. What's your name?" Antonio asked, grinning. Lovi growled slightly.

"Now now, you two, let's stop. We're trying to save Old Rome, Lovi," Arthur quickly jumped in, trying to keep Lovi from mauling Antonio. Lovi huffed and backed down, ushering Antonio and Arthur under a nearby table.

"How are you going to save Old Rome, and from who?" Lovi asked, trying to ignore Antonio's flirtatious winks in his direction.

"So, there's a creepy voodoo doctor trying to kill Old Rome for no reason. He cursed this prince named Francis and turned him into a frog, and then  _I_ became a frog when I tried to help him. That person up there who says they're Francis is actually Francis' best friend or advisor person, Ludwig. We need to get Ludwig out so that the curse on Francis can be broken and then we can stop Ivan," Arthur explained.

"Ah... Well, don't let me stop you, then. I know Feli's heart will be broken if Old Rome dies. Have fun!" Lovi chirped before shoving Arthur and Antonio out from under the table. Arthur jumped to avoid being stepped on and ran over to Gilbert and Matthew.

"Any luck on finding either Ludwig or Ivan?" Arthur panted. Toni landed on Gilbert's head, and all four of them shuffled off to a corner in order to be out of the way.

"Yep. I found Ludwig. He's over there dancing with the dude with red-brown hair," Gilbert answered, gesturing towards the two people. Arthur looked and saw a tall blonde dancing with Feli.

"And Ivan is in the corner opposite ours on the other side of the room," Matthew reported. Arthur looked and saw a tall man radiating an aura of creepiness.

"Wait. Where's Francis?" Arthur finally realized that Francis wasn't with them, and he began to panic slightly. He could have been squished, or captured, or...

"Francis is currently climbing up Ludwig's leg," Matthew said, and Arthur sighed in relief as he saw Francis climb up onto Ludwig's shoulder. Feli looked a little startled, but Francis whispered something to Ludwig, and then the three were walking over to the corner.

"Arthur? Is that actually you? What happened?!" Feli whispered as soon as he made it over. Arthur sighed. Looks like Francis told them everything.

"Yes, it's me. And I accidentally turned into a frog when I tried to help Francis. No big deal," Arthur replied, trying to calm Feli down. Ludwig wrapped an arm around Feli's waist, and Arthur briefly wondered what was going on between them.

"So, I need Ludwig to kiss me and break this curse," Francis stated, looking up at Ludwig hopefully.

"I have to kiss you?" Ludwig looked a little unhappy about that. Francis nodded, and Ludwig sighed before glancing over towards Ivan, who was being distracted by... Yao?

"Matthew! When did Yao get here?" Gilbert hissed. Matthew shot him a look saying 'I don't know!'

"Well, we can still use it as a distraction. Come, let's get outside," Ludwig said before quickly ushering everyone outside. Once they were a fair distance away from the building, Ludwig stopped and took off a pendant, immediately changing into an even taller blonde.

"Oh! You're much more handsome like this," Feli stammered, blushing. Ludwig blushed back, and Gilbert grinned.

"So, Francis... I'll kiss you on three, yeah?" Ludwig coughed. Ludwig lifted Francis up and took a deep breath before leaning over to kiss him. A bright flash of light emerged from Francis, and when it cleared, in his place was a tall blonde with wavy hair tied into a ponytail.

"I'm back! Thank you so much, Ludwig!" Francis cheered before squeezing Ludwig into a hug. Ludwig chuckled and returned the hug, and Arthur wondered how these two had developed such a close bond. After a few minutes of hugging, Francis turned back to Arthur.

"So, we should get you changed back... Any ideas on who?" Arthur froze and ran through the short list of people he knew. Alfred and Kiku? Probably not, they were just friends. Lukas or Danut? They were out of town for a little bit. Feli? He didn't want to risk it.

Francis must have seen the crestfallen look on Arthur's face. He picked him up and looked him straight in the eye before saying "Arthur. If you wouldn't mind, I could try."

"Wait, no, you could get turned into a frog again!" Arthur protested. Francis laughed at that.

"If that happens, Ludwig will just change me back again,  _oui_? It's worth a shot,  _mon ami_ ," Francis answered. Matthew and Gilbert snickered in the background, and Feli beamed at Arthur and whispered "Say yes!"

"A-are you sure?" Arthur whispered. Francis smiled.

"I wouldn't offer if I wasn't serious. Now, no complaints, just hold still." With that, Francis pressed his lips to Arthur's, and a bright flash of light surrounded both of them. When it cleared, Arthur was standing on two legs... and looking Francis in the eye. He was human again!

"Aw, how cute!" Toni and Gilbert cooed in unison. Matthew snickered, and Feli was giving Arthur a thumbs up.

"You...?" Arthur breathed, looking at Francis in shock. Francis smiled back.

"Yes. We can give it a trial run first, if you'd like?"

"Yes. Yes, I-I'd like that. Very much. Yes," Arthur stammered, blushing wildly. Francis smirked, and everyone else snickered at their antics.

"Well! Looks like the curse was broken!" Yao's voice piped up. Everyone whipped around to see Yao dragging an unconscious Ivan behind him with magic. Matthew sighed and slithered over, giving Yao a Look.

"He's not staying with us again, is he?" Matthew sighed. Yao smiled brightly.

"He is! I'm hoping to get through to him this time!"

"Oh God," Matthew groaned, turning back to face Gilbert. "Hey, Gil? Can I just stay with you until he leaves?" Everyone else laughed at that, and Yao pouted before leaving to get Ivan back to his hut.

Francis swept Arthur into a hug and whispered "I'm so glad I met you." Arthur hugged back and murmured "Same."

After a minute or so, Feli clapped his hands together. "Well! Now that everything else is settled. Arthur, come talk with Old Rome about the money and the land for your restaurant!" With that, Feli grabbed Arthur's hand and dragged him after him. Arthur sighed and smiled. He had (maybe) found love, and his greatest dream was coming true. What more could he possibly ask for?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's all for now folks! Concrit is SO LOVED, flames are used to roast marshmallows X3


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur's dream comes true (in more ways than one), and there's a lovely wedding (where no one dies XD)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the end for this story, guys! Let me know if you'd like me to do something like this again in the future! Without further ado, let's get into this!

" _Bonjour,_ and welcome to The Faerie Glen! How many people are there in your party?" Arthur grinned as he heard Francis greet the new customers at the door. The French prince had taken to working at the restaurant with a passion, stating that "he wanted to see what he could do with his own life without his parents and their money." No matter his reasons, Arthur was grateful for his enthusiasm. Francis was probably the reason why the restaurant was actually successful.

Francis shot Arthur a flirty smile and a wink as he lead the customers to their table. Arthur blushed a little in response before grabbing his pad and a pen and leaving to take some orders.

"Hello! My name is Arthur, and I'll be your server today. Can I start you off with anything to drink?" Arthur asked, smiling. He clicked his pen and opened his pad before preparing for the orders.

" _Hallo,_ Artie. I'm assuming you don't remember us?" the tall albino chuckled. Arthur frowned slightly before it hit him.

" _Gilbert_?! How the hell are you a human?!" Arthur hissed, glancing around to try and find Francis.

"Yao found a spell that lets us become human for a bit. We wanted to see you without freaking everyone out," the other person replied. Arthur recognized Matthew's voice, and was vaguely startled to realize he looked incredibly similar to Alfred.

"Plus, it's easier to go on romantic dates as a human, ya know?" Gilbert finished, grinning.

"Ah, yes, I suppose so. I'll come back and talk once your orders are in. Now, um... what would you like to drink?" Arthur stammered.

"Water," Matthew requested, while Gilbert asked for a beer. Arthur jotted their orders down and scrambled back to the kitchen.

"Arthur? What's wrong?" Feli asked, looking up from an order he was preparing. Feli and Ludwig had both come to work at Arthur's restaurant, which Arthur was eternally grateful for. Both of them were incredible chefs, and they helped to diminish Arthur's workload (and stress) by quite a bit.

"Gilbert and Matthew are here on a date, and they've somehow become human. Help," Arthur gasped out. Feli and Ludwig both rolled their eyes at Arthur's antics.

"You can do this, Arthur. Get their drinks and then go take their orders, then invite them to go do something. You haven't seen them in three months, after all," Feli advised. Arthur sighed before going to get Matthew and Gilbert's drinks.

When Arthur walked back over to the table, he saw Francis standing there and chatting with Gilbert and Matthew. Francis looked up and smiled at him as he approached.

"Arthur! Why didn't you tell me that Matthew and Gilbert came to visit?" Francis asked, feigning hurt. Arthur rolled his eyes and smacked his shoulder after setting down the beverages.

"Shut up, frog, I don't have to tell you everything," Arthur replied, fondness creeping into his voice. Even though Francis was no longer cursed to be a frog, the nickname had stuck, and Francis was actually pretty fond of it now.

"Now, Matthew and Gilbert, do you know what you want to eat?" Arthur asked, digging out his pad again. Matthew and Gilbert both ordered salads and sandwiches, and when Arthur turned around to leave and put their order in, Gilbert called "Come back and talk when you're done with that, yeah?" Arthur called back an affirmative and went to place their orders. He didn't see Francis' nervous glances back to Gilbert and Matthew, or the velvet box Francis fished out of his pocket.

* * *

Once Arthur had brought Gilbert and Matthew their food, Francis dragged him out to his greeter's position. He then proceeded to chatter away for what felt like an hour. Arthur kept trying to escape to go see if Gilbert and Matthew needed anything, but Francis kept yanking him back, saying that they were covered.

 _Finally_ , after Francis regaled him with a story about a time when he was younger and had fallen in a ditch because he was running away from Ludwig, the Frenchman stopped talking. Arthur smiled at his lover and his crazy antics.

"Francis, darling, those stories are incredibly interesting, but I really should be getting back to my job," Arthur announced, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Francis yelped, his hand shooting out and grabbing Arthur's wrist. "I have to ask you something!"

Arthur paused and turned around. Francis gently released Arthur wrist before taking both his hands in his.

"Arthur,  _mon cher_ , you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Not only did you attempt to help me when you didn't even know who I was, you willingly took me in and gave me the chance to be your boyfriend. You're the kindest, sweetest, and most passionate person I know, second to none. Every day I've spent with you has been a joy, and I look forward to spending many more with you." Here, Francis paused to take a breath before kneeling down on the floor and pulling something out of his pocket. Arthur gasped and his hands flew to cover his mouth. Was Francis...?

"With all that said: Arthur Kirkland,  _mon petite lapin_ , will you do me the honour of becoming my husband?"

Everyone in the restaurant had turned to look at the couple, and Arthur stood frozen. Francis had just... proposed to him. Francis had just proposed to him.  _Francis Bonnefoy had just proposed to him._

Oh bloody hell, he was getting  _married_!

"Arthur?  _Mon cher_? Are you alright?" Francis asked, looking incredibly worried.

"Yes," Arthur breathed. Francis looked hopeful.

"Yes, you are alright...?" Francis ventured, biting his lower lip in nervousness.

"Yes, I will marry you, Francis Bonnefoy," Arthur managed to say before breaking into tears of joy. Francis laughed and slipped the ring onto Arthur's right hand before standing up and pulling Arthur into a kiss. The patrons cheered and clapped, and when Arthur and Francis finally broke their kiss, Matthew and Gilbert were standing there and smirking at them, as were Feli and Ludwig.

"Told ya Franny'd propose," Gilbert said, his smirk widening. Arthur blushed when he realized that he and Francis were the centre of attention, and Francis pulled him back in for another kiss to distract him. It worked quite well, actually. Francis was a brilliant kisser.

* * *

"This is it. This is the day," Arthur breathed, staring at himself in the mirror. He adjusted his tie for the umpteenth time and attempted to smooth down his wild golden hair.

"Relax, Arthur. You look perfect," Roederich soothed. Arthur's father stepped forward and looked Arthur in the eyes, smiling sadly.

"Vash would have loved to be here," Roederich murmured, his eyes misting over with unshed tears. Arthur pulled his father into a hug and whispered back "Yeah. He really would have." The two of them took a moment to cry before Roederich pulled away, wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

"What am I thinking? We can't get tears on your suit!" he sniffed, attempting a real smile. Arthur laughed and wiped his own eyes. Alfred poked his head into the room just then.

"Did I interrupt something?" he asked, smiling softly when he saw Arthur. Arthur smiled back, and Roederich straightened his spine in an attempt to look put together.

"No. I was just helping Arthur finish preparing. I assume they're ready for him?" Roederich answered.

"Yep. Relax Artie, you'll do fine," Alfred replied, heading back to his seat. Arthur took a shuddering breath, and Roederich grabbed his arm and dragged him out into the church.

The ceremony was over with fairly quickly, just as Francis and Arthur had requested. When the priest finally said "You may kiss your husband", Francis pulled Arthur into a passionate kiss. Arthur barely registered everyone's happy cheers, he was so filled with happiness. Francis eventually pulled back and grinned brightly down at Arthur.

"So, how does it feel to officially be royalty?" Francis asked teasingly. Arthur shot a teasing grin right back at him.

"Like I'm living in a faerie tale," Arthur responded. Francis laughed and began to walk back up the aisle with Arthur.

"I was hoping you'd say something else," Francis remarked. Arthur squeezed his hand and turned to glance at him.

"I thought you knew that I don't care about a title. All I care about is spending the rest of my life with you." Francis squeezed his hand in return, and the two newly-weds walked out of the church and into the glow of the sunset.

**Author's Note:**

> So, hope you all enjoyed that chapter! Concrit is LOVED, flames are used to grill teriyaki XD


End file.
